Rotary engine



D United States Patent 1 3,550,563

[72] Inventor Thomas Albert Smith [50] Field ofSearch 123/81MS) Route 2, Purvis, Miss. 39475 (MC), 11, 18(A); 91/60; 103/129; [21] Appl. No. 812,724 60/3961; 230/144; 418/35, 215; 123/847, 8.07 [22] Filed Apr. 2 1969 45 Patented Dec. 25, 1970 [56] Refemces c'ted Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. UNITED STATES PATENTS 614,786, Feb. 7, 1970, now abandoned. 2,1 14,674 4/1938 Buckbee ..1.23/8(MS)(UX) 2,270,976 l/1942 Sobek 103/129 2,511,441 6/1950 Loubiere 60/3961 3,228,196 H1966 Paulsen 60/39.6l(X) [54] ROTARY ENGINE, Primary Examiner-Allan D. Herrmann 11 Claims, 13 Drawing Flgs.

[52] US. Cl l23/8.07, ABSTRACT: This invention relates to rotary engines having l23/8.47:418/35 1 215 stationary annular cylinders with pistons 01' vanes rotating [51] Int. Cl F02b 53/00 within at a constantly changing speed relative to each other.

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sum 2 0? 7 PATENTEU [15029 I970 sum 3 or 7 PA-TENTED w s i970 J SHE-[VI s u??? PATENTED mines I970 SHEET 7 BF 7' ROTARY ENGINE This application is a continuation in part of an application filed Feb. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 614,786 and now abandoned.

This invention, along with certain improvements in block assembly, has a very important improvement in means for connecting an eccentric drive shaft to concentric shafts.

Many engines of this type have been devised, but no one has developed a practical means for connecting the pistons to a drive shaft and still have a uniform acceleration and deceleration of the pistons within the cylinders. This very important fault has been solved by my invention.

In other engines of this type, the shock of the explosion is against gears or cams which cannot withstand the impact; and, each piston is stopped momentarily two times each revolution, thereby spending their momentum against gears or cams, doing no useful work.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to produce an engine whose pistons have a uniform acceleration and deceleration, is simple to make from parts that are machineable on standard shop tools also.

Another object is .to produce an engine of this type with bushed members receiving the shock of the explosion and transferring the impelling force thereof through rigid arms of another member to rotate and eccentric drive shaft.

Another object is to produce an engine inwhich the power impulse is applied with the pistons in motion to fully utilize the momentum of said pistons and associated parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a better means for connecting pistons of a rotary engine in a plurality of cylinders to a common eccentric drive shaft.

Other objects will become apparent from the following descriptive material.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of my invention.

l-"IG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. I with housing 4 and a part of housing 6 removed.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. ,1, showing the pistons with the eccentric shaft rotated 90 counterclockwise from theposition shown in FIGS. I and 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of my invention with phasing unit removedand .with the cross-sectional shape of the cylinders changed from circular to rectangular; and, having two cylinders operating as an internal combustion engine.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view ofcsame takenalong line 5-5 of FIG. 4 with the eccentric shaft rotated 9 O counterclockwise.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the engine shown in FIG. 1, rotated 90 counterclockwise, from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The guide 7a is shown as a round rod; and, the actuating members 11a and 12a have been changed so as to have slidable connection with the outer perimeter of the round guide member 7a.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, II and 12 show the engine in a simplified form to better show the principle of operation.

FIG. 13 shows the placement of a valve for fast control of the speed of the engine shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

I have shown the invention in the drawings in a preferred embodiment and the following description will further explain.

In FIG. 1, the housing 3 is joined to housing 4, with suitable means for removing same, to form toroidal cylinder 5. Shafts In FIG. 1, shaft 9 is received within housing 6 through bearing 18 in a boss, which is integral with housing 6. Housing 6 is secured to housing 4 with suitable means for removing same, preferably as shown, with housing 4 being tapped to receive bolts or studs 24. Shaft 9 has disc 8 attached; and, said disc has a slot or guide, 7, preferably extending across the diameter of same. Shaft 9 is eccentric to shafts l0 and 27.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of cylinder 5 with piston 1 shown at the top and piston 2 removed. The disc and tab for mounting the pistons to the shafts are shown. disc 22 and tab 26, along with the bolts for connecting them to piston l, are shown in detail, while tab 26a and part of disc 21 have been removed. The two discs 21 and 22, are contoured to complete the toroidal cylinder 5, allowing the rings to make sealing contact with them and the cylinder wall. Piston 1 has a slot to receive tab 26, see FIG. 1 and FIG. 3; and, has holes to match holes 25 to receive bolts 19 and 19a, which will secure piston l to tab 26. Piston 2 is connected to tab 26a in a like manner; and, as they are connected to the concentric shafts as described above, there is a rigid connection between each piston and a respective concentric shaft. Pistons I and 2 divide cylinder 5 into variable, sealed chambers, 23 and 23a. Therefore, as piston 1 is rotatable with shaft 27, the pistons may be controlled within the cylinder by controlling the two shafts, 10 and 27.

Shaft 10 has crank 13 attached thereto, which has a bushed hole therein to receive pin 16, allowing the pin to rotate within. Shaft 27 has a like crank, 14; and, has a bushed hole to receive pin 15. Pin 15 is attached to an actuating member, 12; and, pin 16 is attached to an actuating member, 11. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the actuating members as rectangular bars and as having a slot, 7, on disc 8 in which they have slidable connection. This connection allows no lateral loss of motion; but, allows the bars to move toward and away from the axis of eccentric shaft 9.

The two cranks, being attached to the concentric shafts, have a common axis with the pistons and the piston shafts. The actuating members, 11 and 12, which are carried by the cranks, also have an axis that is common to the pistons; and, as they are connected to the eccentric shaft through slot 7 and the disc 8 rotation of the shafts will vary the. distance between I0 and 27 are received within the housing 4 through a bearing,

l7; and, shaft 10 is supported within housing 3 by bearing 29. Shaft 27 is sleeved upon shaft 10 and has a disc 21. attached thereto. Said disc 21 has a tab, 26a, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, extending into cylinder 5, which is attached to piston 2 in a manner described later. Shaft 10 is attached to disc 22, which has a tab, 26. Piston l is connected to said tab 26. With the pistons supported as above, they will be free fromfriction because they would not be in contact with the cylinder wall. Only the sealing rings would make contact therewith. The pistons are also free to rotate independently with respect to each other.

the actuating members and the axis of the eccentric shaft. As the distance varies, so will the speed of the actuating members and the pistons. Each piston is constantly changing its speed in relation to the other piston, as well as its own annular speed; and, this causes a relative change in the chambers 23 and 23a.

Again referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the pistons are shown each in radial alignment with its cooperating crank. It should be apparent that they may be rotated in relation to said cranks, if each piston is rotated an equal distance and in the same direction. It is also apparent that any change in the distance between eccentric shaft 9 and the two concentric shafts, 10 and 27, will alter the length of the stroke between the two pistons within the cylinder.

FIG. 2 shows pistons l and 2 at dead center at the top of the drawing with housing 4 removed, showing the pistons and their phasing unit. Slot 7 is shown with the two actuating bars mated within andthe cranks connecting the bars to the concentric shafts are shown in their relative position to the pistons as they are at dead center. It should be noted that the actuating members are an equal distance from the axis of the eccentric shaft at this time, being forced into this position by the guide slot 7 extending horizontally across the diameter of flywheel 8. As the cranks carry the actuating bars, 11 and 12, in an annular path around the axis of the concentric shafts, counterclockwise rotation of the eccentricshaft, I, will rotate the concentric shafts in the same direction and will cause bar 12 to move toward the axis of the eccentric shaft and bar 1 1 to move away from the axis of same.

FIG. 3 shows the engine rotated counterclockwise; and, as the actuating bars follow a path along the approximate circumference of disc 22, which is shown as a dotted line in FIG. 2, study will show the position each of the actuating bars will take with the eccentric shaft 9 rotated any number of degrees until they are in the position shown in FIG. 3. As stated above, the cranks are in radial alignment with the pistons; therefore, they would be in the position shown by the pistons.

FIG. 6 shows the phasing unit with the guide member 7a as a round rod with each end attached to the outer rim of a flywheel. The actuating members, 11a and 12a, have slidable connection with the surface of the guide member. The guided members, 11a and 12a, are also connected to cranks 13a and 14a, which are connected to the concentric shafts, a and 27a. Crank 13a is connected to shaft 100 with suitable means for attaching same while crank 14a is connected to shaft 270. The parts shown above have a relative part shown in FIGS. 1- 3; and, have the same function as the corresponding number, less the letter sufiix; and, only their shapes have been changed to better show the connection between the concentric shafts and the eccentric shaft. Piston 1 is shown at the bottom of FIG. 6. Piston 2 is at the top with eccentric shaft 9a rotated 90 from the position shown in FIG. 1. At this position actuating member 12a is near the axis of the eccentric shaft so the annular speed of the crank and its corresponding piston, 2, are very slow in relation tothe other piston, l, and its crank, 13a. Piston 1 at this point has reached its maximum speed and will begin to decelerate; and, its momentum will be applied through the guide rod to crank 14a to begin accelerating piston 2. A most important feature of this invention is best shown here; and, that is the unit for coupling a plurality of shafts to an eccentric shaft so as to get a uniform deceleration and acceleration of the shafts at alternate times. This unit accomplishes this without gears, links or cams, which all have faults that make them impractical; and, the momentum of the pistons and associated parts utilized with all momentum being applied to the rotating members, such as shafts, etc.

Referring to FIG. 6, it will be apparent that the concentric shaft 10 could be made hollow, with it and shaft 27 made large enough for the eccentric shaft 9 to pass through the cylinder and shafts. The same eccentric shaft could connect a plurality of cylinders in this way by attaching the guide rod to the eccentric shaft in any position along its length so long as the guide rod has equal arms perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Each cylinder would have concentric shafts, each having actuating members, as described above. Said member being connected to an arm of a guide rod, as shown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 7 through 12 show the engine in a simplified form to better show the principle of operation. Guide 7 is shown as a line, which represents the center of said guide. Also the cranks are represented with a line. FIG. 7 shows the pistons at the point of dead center, that is, each arm of the guide is an equal distance between the axis and the two actuating members, 11 and 12.

FIG. 8 shows the eccentric shaft rotated only slightly and piston I now has moved away from eccentric shaft 9 and piston 2 has moved toward it. If an impelling force is applied at this point, it will drive leading piston 1 because of the mechanical advantage of the longer arm of guide member 7.

This will rotate eccentric shaft 9 counterclockwise for 180 of said shaft.

F IG. 9 shows the engine rotated 45 counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 7. Piston 2 has moved forward; but, piston 1 has moved much further because of the longer arm of the guide member; and, the distance between the axis and the actuating member has increased still more, as shown.

FIG. 10 shows eccentric shaft 9 rotated 90 from the position shown in FIG. 7; and, the pistons are now diametrically opposite each other, with piston l at the bottom. Now, chambers 23 and 23a are equal. Also, at this point piston 1 is traveling at its maximum speed; and, piston 2 is at its minimum speed. It should be noted that for the first 90, piston 1 has increased its speed; and, piston 2 has gradually decreased its speed. Now they will reverse this and piston 1 will begin to decrease its speed, transferring its momentum through the amis of the guide member to increase the speed of piston 2.

FIG. 11 shows the shaft rotated 45 more; and, now chamber 23 is much larger than chamber 23a, as piston I is traveling faster than piston 2.

FIG. 12 shows the eccentric shaft rotated from the position shown in FIG. 7; and, the pistons have reversed their positions with piston 2 now the leading piston. Piston 1 will now act as an abutment to drive the leading piston when the impelling force is applied within the cylinder chamber. With the guide member in this position, at this instant the speeds of the two pistons are the same.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the invention as an internal combustion engine employing two annular cylinders formed by housings 33, 34, 35, 36 and 36a, along with collars 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49. The housings are joined with suitable means for removing same, preferably bolts 64, as shown in FIG. 4. Each cylinder has two pistons operating within; and, they are connected to the eccentric shaft as described and shown in FIG. 6. The cylinders have two concentric shafts, 37 and 38, supported by bearings 53, 54 and 55. Shaft 37 has collars 46 and 49 attached so as to allow no lateral loss of motion. Shaft 38 has collars 45, 47 and 49 connected to it. Shaft 38 has collar 45 attached directly to it so as to allow no loss of motion. Collar 45 has piston 31 attached to it, as shown in FIG. 4. Piston 31 is rigidly connected to collar 47 also. This couples the two collars and shaft 38a to piston 31 and shaft 38. Collar 48 is attached to shaft 38a. Piston 32 is connected to collar 48, completing the coupling between pistons 31 and 32 and shaft 38. Shaft 37 is continuous and has pistons 40 and 41 attached to it through two collars, 46 and 49. With this connection between the two shafts and the pistons and the concentric shafts connected to the eccentric shaft 9, as shown in FIG. 6, it is apparent that the pistons in the two cylinders will be in phase; and, that they will each have a cycle similar to the single cylinder unit described above. A communicating passage, 52, is provided between the cylinders. The chambers between pistons 31 and 40 are used as combustion and exhaust chambers, having a spark plug and an exhaust port, 51. No valve are needed as the ports are sealed as the pistons pass over them. Spark plug 39 has a source for creating an electrical spark within the cylinder to ignite the fuel mixture. The two chambers between pistons 32 and 41 in the other cylinder are used for charging the chambers with the explosive mixture and compressing same. As shown in FIG. 5, the cylinder has a port 50 for passing the mixture into the chamber, which would preferably be connected to an appropriate carburetor. It also has a port 52 leading into the other cylinder. As in the other cylinder, there is no need for valves because the pistons pass over and close the ports.

Assuming that eccentric shaft 9 is rotated counterclockwise by some outside power source, the piston in the intake and compression cylinder would open port 50 and draw in a charge of fuel. As the shaft continues to rotate the pistons, after 180 of rotation, they would compress the fuel. At the appointed time, the leading piston would uncover port 52; and, as the pistons in the other cylinder are phased with the pistons in the intake and compression cylinder. the opposite side of the port would have been opened; and, the compressed fuel would be received within the other cylinder for igniting. Each charge will drive the leading piston for 180 when another charge would be ready for igniting.

The cylinders can be cooled by air or water, as desired. Housing 6 is supplied with lubricating oil which will supply the shafts and the bearings with oil.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show an engine of the Hot air or Stirling type, using this invention. An engine of this type is propelled by heating an elastic fluid, which has been compressed at a low temperature and utilizing the expansion of the fluid to drive the pistons. This engine has two ports, 45 and 45a, which open into a chamber that is preheated by an external heat source. A valve may be used in the short conduit to regulate the flow into the chamber of the compressed fluid for faster deceleration of the engine, see FIG. 13. The external heat source may be any controllable heat. The controls may be linked together for simpler control ofthe speed of the engine.

With the pistons at the top of the drawing, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and means for rotating eccentric shaft 9 counterclockwise for 180 and assuming that chamber 23a contained air, it would be highly compressed at this point; and, with a few degrees further rotation, piston 2 would expose port 45, which leads to the preheated chamber, allowing the compressed air to enterth e chamber. The walls and the hot air already present will heat the air. Expansion will take place and the increased pressure is applied to the pistons within chamber 23a through ports 45 and 450. Although the pressure is applied equally to the two pistons, they are past dead center and leading piston 2 has the longer arm of the guide, so it will be forced away from the other piston, rotating eccentric shaft 9 as it moves around the cylinder for 270. Piston 1 will be moved forward about 90 by the shorter arm of the guide. This power impulse would rotate eccentric shaft 9 for another 180 so the pistons have reversed their positions; and, piston 1 is now the leading piston. Chamber 23 would have another charge of air compressed, ready to be admitted into the heated chamber for the beginning of another cycle. Cylinder 5 has chamber 30, with means of circulating a cooling agent therein to remove the heat from the cylinder and also from the air before recompressing. As the air is being compressed, additional heat from the air is transferred through the cylinder wall to the cooling agent to be dissipated. Air may be used as a propellant, as described above; but,other gases have proved more desirable for faster speeds.

With the addition of an exhaust system, steam, air or other fluids under pressure could be used as the power source.

I claim:

1. In an alternating piston rotary engine, comprising, in combination, a closed, stationary housing; means defining a plurality of annular cylinders within said housing; a plurality of rotatably mounted pistons within, means for connecting said pistons to concentric shafts, rotatably mounted within said housing; means for connecting said concentric shafts to actuating members; said actuating members being slidably connected to guide means, means rigidly connecting said guide means to an eccentric shaft, rotatably mounted in said housing, the axis of said eccentric shaft being paralleled to the axis of said concentric shafts; and, means for applying force to said plurality of pistons.

2. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein said concentric shafts include a continuous concentric shaft and a hollow concentric shaft, said continuous concentric shaft, having a piston attached within each of said cylinders, segments of the hollow concentric shaft being sleeved upon the said continuous concentric shaft, each segment of said hollow concentric shaft having a common piston with another segment of the hollow concentric shaft, means for connecting said common piston to two segments of said hollow concentric shaft, said common piston providing a rigid coupling for said segments of said hollow concentric shaft.

3. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein means for connecting said pistons to said concentric shafts include tabs integral with discs, said tabs having means for connecting said pistons thereto, said discs together with said housing defining said cylinders, said discs being independently joined to concentric shafts.

4. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein means for connecting said concentric shafts to said actuating members include members rigidly attached to said concentric shafts, said members having bushed tubular members having independently rotatable connection with said actuating members.

5. The rotary engine of claim I, wherein said guide means is a bar having slidable actuating members connected to its outer perimeter, said actuating members being rotatably connected to said concentric shafts, said guide bar being rigidly attached to said eccentric shaft.

6. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein the means for applying said force to said pistons include intake and exhaust conduits, said conduits having ports within said cylinders, said ports in cooperation with said pistons control the entrance and exhausting of said impelling force.

7. The rotary engine ofclaim 1, wherein the means for applying force to the pistons include means for introducing an explosive charge between the pistons to be compressed and means for exploding said charge between the pistons following compression thereof, means for exhausting the burned gases of the explosive charge.

8. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein means for applying force to said plurality of pistons include an elastic fluid within said cylinders, means communicating with an externally heated chamber, means for opening and closing said means by the rotation of said plurality of pistons, said opening of said means allowing said compressed elastic fluid to pass through said communicating means into said externally heated chamber, means for regulating flow of said elastic fluid through said communicating means, means for transferring heat from said externally heated chamber to said compressed elastic fluid, means for passing said heated compressed elastic fluid through said communicating means into said cylinders, means for applying force of expansion of said heated compressed elastic fluid to drive the pistons thereby driving said eccentric shaft.

9. The rotary engine of the amended claim 1, wherein the closed stationary housing defines a toroidal cylinder within said housing, said cylinder having inlet and outlet ports, a plurality of rotatably mounted pistons within, means for connecting said pistons to concentric shafts rotatably mounted within said housing, said means having slidable connection with each other and said housing thereby sealing'said toroidal cylinder.

10. In a rotary engine comprising, in combination, a housing; means defining two annular cylinders within said housing; two rotatably mounted pistons within each cylinder, dividing each cylinder into two separate variable chambers, means for connecting said pistons to concentric shafts rotatably mounted within said housing; means for connecting said concentric shafts to actuating members, said actuating members being slidably connected to guide means, means rigidly connecting said guide means to an eccentric shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, means for introducing an explosive charge between the pistons in one of said cylinders and compressing same therein, means for transferring said compressed explosive charge between cooperating pistons within the other of said cylinders, means therein for igniting said compressed explosive charge and exhausting the burned gases thereof.

11. In an alternating piston rotary engine, comprising in combination, a stationaryv housing; means defining an annular cylinder within said housing. Said cylinder having inlet and outlet ports, a plurality of rotatably mounted pistons within, means for applying force to said pistons, means for connecting said pistons to'concentric shafts, rotatably mounted within said housing, enclosed within said housing means for connecting said concentric shafts to an eccentric shaft, said means for connecting said concentric shafts to an eccentric shaft including, cranks rigidly connected to said concentric shafts, said cranks having sleeves integral with said cranks, said sleeves being paralleled to and each being equal distance from the axis of said concentric shafts, actuating members rotatably connected within said sleeves of said cranks, said actuating members having tubular members sleeved over the arms of a guide member, means rigidly connecting said guide member to the interior end of said eccentric drive shaft, said eccentric drive shaft being rotatably mounted within said housing, said eccentric shaft having an outer end outside of said housing for connecting to a load, thereby utilizing the impelling force of said pistons. 

